Strip casting machines



June23, 1959 H. T. HONIG 1,

STRIP CASTING MACHINES Filed Dec. 20, .1954 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 IN VENTORHenry 7. Hon/g ATTORNEY June 23, 1959 H. T. Home 2,891,660

STRIP CASTING MACHINES Filed Dec. 20. 1954 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 1N VENTORHenry 7.' Hon/g ATTORNEY nited State STRIP CASTING MACHINES Henry T.Honig, Dallas, Tex.

Application December 20, 1954, Serial No. 476,230

9 Claims. (Cl. 199-1) This invention relates to strip casting machinesfor making printers slugs, leads and rules, and more particularly to apulling mechanism for pulling the strip from which such slugs, leads andrules are formed from a die or mold.

One object of the invention is to provide a new and improved pullingmechanism for pulling the strip from a mold or die.

Another object of the invention is to provide a new and improved strippulling mechanism, of the type described, having a clamp whichalternately engages and releases the strip as said clamp is reciprocatedlongitudinally of the strip whereby the strip is pulled in the desireddirection.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a pulling mechanism,of the type described, wherein the base which carries the clamp may moverearwardly to a position to again grip and pull the strip only when theclamp is positively disengaged from the strip, whereby buckling of thestrip due to incomplete disengagement of the clamp therefrom isprevented.

A further object of the invention is to provide a puller mechanism, ofthe type described, having adjusting means for varying the pressure ofthe clamp upon the strip.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a forming meansbetween the die and the puller mechanism for working at least one sideof the strip into a desired printing or rule face while the strip ispulled by the puller mechanism.

Another object of the invention is to provide a puller mechanism whereinoperating parts of the mechanism are quickly and readily detachable andreplaceable, whereby such parts may be adjusted, removed and repaired orreplaced without shutting down the puller mechanism for long periods oftime or requiring the complete rebuilding of certain parts of themachine.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a new and improvedpuller mechanism of simple, efiicient and economical construction, andhaving a minimum of easily fabricated components.

Additional objects and advantages of the invention will be readilyapparent from the reading of the following description of devicesconstructed in accordance with the invention, and reference to theaccompanying drawings thereof, wherein:

Figure 1 is a front elevation of the pulling mechanism showing itmounted on a table top of a strip casting machine which is not fullyshown;

Figure 2 is an enlarged vertical sectional view of the pulling mechanismshowing the clamp in strip engaging position with the reciprocating basein its extreme right position wherein it has pulled the strip out of thedie or mold.

Figure 3 is a view similar to that of Figure 2, showing the clamp inopen position and the reciprocating base moving toward the left, towardthe die or mold;

Figure 4 is a sectional view, with certain parts broken away, taken onthe line 44 of Figure 3;

. Figure 5 is a vertical view, with portions broken away,

of the brake or holding means for frictionally holding or restrainingthe strip, and which is positioned between the die or mold and thepuller mechanism, and

Figure 6 is a perspective view of the forming means for forming theprinting or rule face on the strip.

Referring now to the drawings, the reference numeral 20 designates abench or table top of a strip casting machine used for formingcontinuous strips or bars of metal from a molten body thereof in theform of printers leads, slugs, rules and the like; said table top beingsupported -by side legs 21, only one being shown in Figure 1.

Mounted on the table top is the puller or pulling mechanism 22 which isdriven by means of a longitudinal drive gshaft 23 rotatably mountedbeneath the table top 20 in a suitable manner and rotated by a suitableprime mover, such as electric motor (not shown). The drive shaft 23 isprovided with a cam 24 which engages a roller 25 rotatg'ably mounted ona shaft 28 between the dependent spaced legs 26 at the lower end of arack gear 27. The rack gear is slidably mounted for vertical reciprocalmovement in a housing 29 rigidly secured to the table top; the housinghaving ways 30 in which the rack gear moves, and is biased towardlowermost position by a torsion spring 30a connected at one end to thehousing 29 and at its other end to a transverse shaft 31 having a piniongear 31a mounted thereon and meshing with said rack gear, and, as thedrive shaft 23 is rotated, the cam 24 moves the rack gear upwardlyagainst the resistance of the torsion 'spring.

Downward movement of the rack gear is adjustabl: limited by a stop lever32 which is pivoted in a yoke 33 on the under side of the table top. Theposition of the stop lever is adjusted by means of a threaded adjustingrod 34 extending downwardly through a threaded fitting in the table topand restrained against undesired movement by a spring 35 confined on thelower portion of the rod between the under side of the table and a pairof lock nuts 36 threaded on the lower end of the rod. The rod isprovided at its upper end with a knob 37 by means of which the rod maybe rotated, the threaded engagement of the rod in the fitting of thetable causing the entire rod to move vertically upon rotation thereof,whereby the position of the stop lever 32 is adjusted. A laterallyextending pin 26a on one of the legs 26 at the lower end of the rackgear engages the end of the stop lever opposite the adjusting rod andthus limits downward movement of the rack gear by such engagement.

The rack gear engages the small pinion gear 31a rigidly mounted on thetransverse shaft 31 which is suitably journalled in bearings 40 onopposite sides of the housing 29. The opposite sides of the housing arealso provided with ways 41 and 42, which receive and support the lateralflanges 43 and 44, respectively, of the reciprocable base 45 of thepulling mechanism.

The base is provided with a horizontally disposed longi. tudinal grooveor slot 46 in which a horizontal rack gear 47 is slidably mounted, andthis rack gear meshes with a large pinion gear 48 rigidly mounted on thetransverse shaft 31. The horizontal reciprocal movement of thehorizontal rack gear 47 in the slot is limited by a pin 49 secured tothe base and extending into a horizontally disposed elongate slot 549formed in the horizontal rack gear.

The base 45 supports a clamp assembly which includes a stationary upperclamp member or plate 60 and a movable lower clamp member or plate 61which is reciprocated toward and away from the stationary clamp plate ina manner to be hereinafter described. The two clamps are provided withprotective and gripping face linings 63 and 64, respectively, which aresecured to the clamps by screws 65.

The upper clamp 60 is vertically adjustable by means of a ring nut 66threaded on the threaded upper end of a rod 67 whose lower end extendsinto a socket 68 in the boss on the upper side of the upper clamp and issecured to said upper clamp by a pin 6) extending transversely throughsaid base and rod. The threaded upper end of the rod extends through thebore in a head member 75 on the upper end of the base, the tin nut beingdisposed in a slot 71 in said head member. Thus. it will be apparentthat by rotating the ring 6 5, the rod '67 can be moved vertically sincerotation of the upper clamp is prevented by its sliding engagement withthe base (see Fig. 4).

The lower clamp 61 is pivotally mounted on the upper end 72 of a bellcrank lever 73 by means of a horizontally disposed pin 74 which extendsthrough regstering apertures in a pair of depending ears in the middleof the under side of the clamp and the upper end of the lever which isdisposed between said ears. The bell crank lever is pivotally mounted onthe base by means of a transverse horizontal pivot shaft 75 whichprojects horizontally from the base and through a suitable bore provided intermediate the ends of the lever.

The lever is biased toward counter-clockwise pivotal movement about theshaft 75 by a spring 76 whose opposite ends are secured to the lever andto a downwardly projecting pin 77 on the under side of The lever isprovided with a boss 78 providing a cam surf ce 79 which engages andrides against the end of the hori- Zontal rack gear for a purpose to behereinafter described.

Counter-clockwise rotation of the bell crank lever is limited by anadjustable stop or screw which is threaded through a boss 31 on the basej st below the lower clamp member, and engages the upper arm of the bellcrank lever. The stop screw is locked in any udjustc position by a locknut 32. This stop prevents the bell crank lever moving past the verticalposition, which movement would prevent the clamp member from grippingthe strip of cast metal thcrebetween. Freferably, the stop is positionedto stop countcr-clocl" c movement of the bell crank lever before theupper "n '72 reaches a vertical position, as is clearly shown in gure 2.

the base.

A plunger 85 mounted in the bore 6 of a boss 87, formed on the basebelow the boss and below the pivot shaft 75, extends outwardly thereofto engage the lower arm of the bell crank lever as it is pivoted in aclockwise direction to cushion the impact between the lower clamp andthe upper surfaces of the b e The plunger being yieldably biasedoutwardly by a ring in said bore 86, the spring 39 being retained in thebore by a screw 90 threaded in an enlarged portion of the and locked inadjusted positions by a lock nut 9i.

It will now be apparent that the torsion s ng resiliently biases thevertical rack gear downwmdly, the shaft 31 being rotatedcounter-clockwise (Fig. 7*) to move he horizontal rack gear to the leftuntil its movement with respect to the base is stopped by the eng mentof the pin 49 with the right-hand end of the slot 3 i'hereupon the wholebase is moved to the left, the b e being movable longitudinallyhorizontally on the ys 4i and '32 of the housing.

During the leftward movement of the horizontal rack gear with respect tothe base 45, its left end engaged tnc cam surface 79 and causedclockwise rota -1 of the bell crank lever 73, whereby the lower clamp 15held down wardly away from the upper clamp 39 before any move ment ofthe base itself occurred. Thus, the lower clamp is held disengaged fromthe strip disposed between the upper and lower clamps during leftward orreturn movement of the base.

The base 45 is normally resilimtly held to its extra leftward positionby the torsion spr g acting on the s? 31, and the vertical rack gear isfree to actuated by the cam 24. \R/hen the cam is rotated to engage theroller 25 at the lower end of the vertical k gear,

vertical rack gear is lifted to rotate the pinion gear 4t thus movingthe horizontal rack gear 47 to the right with respect to the base. Suchmovement of the horizontal rack gear is independent of movement of thebase 45 until the left-hand end of the slot 56 engages the pin 49, andas the horizontal rack gear moves to the right the left end of said rackgear moves away from the cam surface 79 on the bell crank lever 73,whereby said bell crank lever is swung counter-clockwise by the spring76 so that the lower clamp 61 is again raised toward the upper clamp toclamp the strip between said clamps before any movement of the base tothe right can occur. The upper clamp member is so adjusted verticallythat the lower clamp member engages and clamps the cast strip betweenthe clamp members before the upper art of the bell crank lever memberreaches a vertical position. so that force applied to the base membermoving it to the right tightens the grip of the clamp members on thestrip.

When the pin 4? engages the left end of the slot 553, further upward moement of the vertical rack gear causes the base 45 to move to the rightand, since the strip is now held between the upper and lower clamps, thestrip is pulled to the right as the base moves to the right. lust priorto the of the right hand or pulling stroke or movement of the base, thelower arm 91 of the bell crank lever '73 strikes the end of a trip rodthreaded through the end wall of the housing 29 and disposed below andparallel to the horizont rack gear 47. The trip rod locked in adjustedpositions by a lock nut threaded thereon and the housing wall. and saidrod is so positioned that it engages the lower arm of the crank leverinst before the of the right-hand movement of the base 45, preferablyabout three-sire teenths of. an inch before the end of the stroke. Thiscauses the bell crank lever to be swung clockwise, where-- by the lowerclamp member 61 is moved downwardly away from the strip to positivelyrelease the tight grip of the clamp members on the strip.

As the peak or the cam 24 moves past the roller 25', the torsion springacts on the shaft El to move the vertical ck gear downward-- ly andagain move the horizontal rack gear and base to the left for a new gripon the strip of metal, the en gagement of the left end of the rack gearengaging the cam surface 79 of the bell crank lever to hold the clampmember downwardly during such return or left-hand movement or stroke ofthe body. This sequence of operations is r sated as long as the drivehaft otates, thus intermittently pulling the strip to the right.

It will be apparent that the pulling movement is effected by engagementof the cam 24 with the vertical rack gear roller, and that the forcewith which the strip is pulled the length of each movement can be verydelicately adjusted by rotation of the knob 37 to properly position thestop lever 32 to limit downward movement of the vertical rack gear, andthus similarly limit its upward movement and the length of the stroke ofmovement of said vertical rack gear. Such control of movement of thevertical rack gear will provide for a similar control of movement of thebody 45 and the clamp members carried thereby.

Rigidly secured to one end of the housing 29 is a brake assembly ltltlwhich includes a vertical brake plate or body in having verticallyelongate slots 102 through which bolts Till?) may extend into threadedbores in the housing 29 to secure the brake assembly to the housing. Theuse of vertically elongate slots permits vertical adjustment of thebrake assembly relative to the clamp assembly, to provide for properalignment of such assemblies and for movement of the cast striptherethrough without bending or the like.

The brake plate till is provided with a horizontal slot or mouth opening104 in which are disposed upper and lower friction brake or restrainingmembers 105' and 106. The lower friction brake member has a pair ofdependent spaced legs 107 on its under side which are disposed onopposite sides of the lower jaw or extension 108 of the brake plate,said brake member being pivotally secured to said jaw member by a shaft109 which extends through registering apertures in the jaw member andthe legs 107 of the brake member.

The upper brake member 105 is secured by a pin 111 to the lower end of avertically adjustable rod 110, which extends upwardly through the boreof the upper jaw 112 of the brake plate and through the central apertureof a gland nut 113 threaded in the upper end of the bore of said upperjaw. The upper end of the rod is slotted to receive a cam lever 114which is pivotally secured to the red by a pin 115. A spring 116 in thebore 112 bears against the under side of the gland nut 113 and againstthe upper surface of the upper brake member to bias the upper brakemember downwardly. The areuate edge or cam face 117 of the cam levercurves outwardly and downwardly from a point adjacent the pivot pin sothat when the lever is pivoted clockwise about the pin 115, to theposition shown in Figure 5, the cam face engages the upper end of thegland nut and the rod 110 is lifted to lift the upper brake member 105away from the lower brake member, while movement of the cam lever in theopposite direction permits the rod 110 to move downwardly so that theupper brake member moves toward engagement with the lower brake memberto frictionally grip a cast strip therebetween to restrain the stripagainst undesired movement.

The pivotal mounting of the lower brake member provides for somemovement of the latter to permit it to adjust its position as the stripmoves between the upper and lower brake members. The brake members areprovided with suitable facings or linings 118 secured thereto by screws119, whereby the linings may be changed or replaced when desired.

A printing face forming assembly 125 may be secured to the brake platemember 101 for forming dash marks, dotted lines or the like on theprinting face of the cast strip. The face forming assembly includes anangle bracket or base member 126 secured to the brake plate member bymeans of screws 127 extending through apertures 128 in the vertical legof the bracket into threaded bores 129 in one of the dependent legs 107of the lower brake member 106. Mounted on the horizontal leg of theangle bracket is a guide roller 130 which is rotatably disposed about ashaft pin 131 which is secured to the angle bracket by a nut 132threaded on its lower end below said horizontal leg.

A second shaft pin 133 extends through a transverse slot 134 in thehorizontal leg of the angle bracket to rotatably hold a forming tool onroller 135 disposed in spaced relation to the guide roller on the uppersurface of the bracket or base member. A nut 136 secures the shaft pin133 in place on said base member. The forming tool may be a roller suchas that shown, having suitable grooves or projections, so that the stripin passing between the guide roller and the forming tool has suitableimpressions formed thereby in the printing or ruling face thereof.

In use, the strip as it comes from the mold or die first passes betweenthe guide roller and the forming tool; then between the frictionalrestraining or brake members 105 and 106, which prevent any undesiredmovement of the strip; and then between the clamp members 60 and 61.

The clamp members seize or engage the strip and hold it while thereciprocating base moves to the right, thus causing the strip to bepulled longitudinally past the forming tool and the brakes. Before thebase moves to the left, the lower clamp is moved downwardly to free thestrip from clamping engagement by the clamp members, the strip beingthen restrained against movement by the brake members as the base movesto the left to the position wherein the lower clamp member is againmoved upward toward the upper clamp member to grip the strip and pullthe same to the right as the base again moves to the right.

It will be apparent that a new and improved pulling mechanism has beenillustrated and described, which includes a reciprocating base on whichis mounted a clamp assembly comprising a vertically adjustable fixedupper clamp and a lower clamp member which reciprocates toward and awayfrom the upper clamp member. It will also be apparent that a mechanismhas been provided for reciprocating the lower clamp and the basealternately, such mechanism including a horizontal member or rack gear47 mounted on the base for limited horizontal movement and engageablewith a bell crank lever to hold the lower clamp member downwardly duringmovement of the horizontal rack gear in one direction relative to thebase. It will also be seen that the lower clamp member is biased to itsupper position by a spring 76, moving thereto when the horizontal rackgear moves away from said bell crank lever; and that the engagement ofthe lower clamp plate member with the strip occurs before the upper armof the bell crank member reaches a vertical position, whereby the stripis firmly clamped between the lower and the upper clamp members. It isparticularly manifest that the bell crank lever engages the trip rod 92prior to the end of the pulling stroke, whereby the lower clamp memberis positively moved downwardly to release the grip of the clamp memberson the strip, and that the horizontal rack gear engages and holds thecrank lever in such released position during the return or left-handstroke of the body.

It will also be apparent that the horizontal rack gear member is soconnected to the reciprocable base 45 that said base member is movablein either direction only when the horizontal rack gear member has movedto its extreme position in either direction relative to the base.

The foregoing description of the invention is explanatory only, andchanges in the details of the constructions illustrated may be made bythose skilled in the art, within the scope of the appended claims,without departing from the spirit of the invention.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

l. A pulling mechanism including: a fixed structure; a base mounted onsaid fixed structure for reciprocable movement in one plane; a movablemember mounted on said base for limited reciprocable movement relativeto said base in said one plane; means operatively connecting saidmovable member with said base whereby said movable member may be movedto move said base; clamping means mounted on said base and comprising aclamp member movable perpendicularly with respect to said one planebetween open and clamping positions; means connected to said movablemember to move said movable member and said base reciprocally in saidone plane; said base being movable by said movable member only uponcessation of movement of said movable member relative to said base; andmeans engageable by said movable member for moving said clamp memberpositively to open position upon movement of said movable member in onedirection relative to said base whereby said clamp member is positivelyheld in open position during movement of said base in said onedirection.

2. A pulling mechanism of the character set forth in claim 1, whereinbrake means is mounted on said fixed structure in longitudinal alignmentwith said clamping means adapted for holding a strip extending throughsaid clamping means and said brake means, said brake means being adaptedto grip said strip to prevent longitudinal movement thereof in eitherdirection except when gripped by said clamping means and pulled therebywhen said base is moved away from said brake means.

3. In a device of the type described, a pulling mechanism for pullingstrips from a die, comprising: a fixed structure; a base mounted on saidfixed structure for reciprocable movement in one plane toward and awayfrom said die; a movable member mounted on said base for limitedreciprocable movement relative to said base in said one plane and towardand away from said die; a

pin and slot connection between said movable member and said baseproviding said limited reciprocable movement therebetween and providingfor a positive ri operating connection by which said movable membermoves said base; clamping means mounted on said base and comprising astationary member and a clamp mem ber movable perpendicularly withrespect to said one plane between open and clamping position withrespect to said stationary member; means connected to said movablemember to move said movable member and said base reciprocably in saidone plane, said pin and slot connection providing means whereby saidbase is movable only upon cessation of movement of said movable memberrelative to said base; means carrying said movable clamp memberengageable by said movable member for moving said movable clamp memberto positiveiv holding it in open position upon movement of said mova blemember relative to said base and toward said die; and means biasing saidclamp member toward closed position. said clamp member moving to closedposition upon move ment of said movable member relative to said base andaway from said die; said clamping means seizing said strips when saidclamping member is moved to clamping position.

4. In a device of the character set forth in claim 3. brake meansmounted on said fixed structure between said clamping means and said dieand in alignment therewith for positively holding the strip againstmovement in either longitudinal direction while the movable clampingmemher is in open position.

5. A pulling mechanism for strip including: a fixed structure; a basemounted on said structure for reciprocable movement in one plane; a rackgear mounted on said base for limited reciprocable movement relative tosaid base in said one plane in the same directions as the movement ofthe base relative to said fixed structure: a pin and slot connectionbetween said rack gear and said base providing said limited reciprocablemovement therebetween and also providing a positive rigid operat ingconnection by which said rack gear moves said base; means engageablewith said rack gear for moving said rack gear reciprocably; clampingmeans mounted on said base and comprising a stationary member and aclamp member movable perpendicularly with respect to said one planebetween open and clamping positions with respect to said stationarymember; means connected to said clamping member and engageable by saidrack gear for moving said clamp member to and positively holding it inopen position upon movement of said rack gear in one direction; andmeans biasing said clamping member toward closed position; said pin andslot connection providing for movement of said rack gear a limiteddistance with respect to said base before moving said base whereby saidclamp member is in either open and clamping positions before movement ofsaid base can occur.

A pulling mechanism for strip including: a fixed structure; a basemounted on said structure for recipro cable movement in one plane; arack gear mounted on said base for limited reciprocable movementrelative to said base in said one plane in the same directions as themovement of the base relative to said fixed structure; a pin and slotconnection between said rack gear and said base providing said limitedreciprocable movement therebetween and also providing a positive rigidoperating connection by which said rack gear moves said base; meansengageabl with said rack gear for moving said rack gear reciprocably;clamping means mounted on said base and comprising a stationary memberand a clarrip member movable perpendicularly with respect to said oneplane between open clamping positions with respect to said stationarymember; means connected to said clamping member and engageable by saidrack gear for moving said clamp member to and positively holding it inopen position upon movement of said rack gear in one direction; andmeans biasing said clamping member tit toward closed position; said pinand slot connection providing for movement of said rack gear a limiteddistance with respect to said base before moving said base whereby saidclamp member is in either open and clamping positions before movement ofsaid base can occur, said means for moving said rack gear including ashaft rotatably secured to said fixed structure; a gear fixed to saidshaft and meshing with said rack gear; drive means for rotating saidshaft in one direction; and means biasing said shaft for rotation in theopposite direction.

7. A pulling mechanism for pulling strips of printers rule and the like,including: a fixed structure; a base slidabiy mounted on said fixedstructure for reciprocal movement thereon longitudinally of the strip; arack gear slidably mounted on said base for reciprocal movement relativeto said base in the same direction as the movement of said base relativeto said fixed structure and said strip; a pin and slot connectionbetween said rack gear and said base providing a positive connectionbetween said rack gear and said base by which said rack gear may movesaid base; means carried by the fixed structure engageable with saidrack gear for moving said rack gear reciprocably; clamping means mountedon said base and comprising an adjustable stationary member and amovable clamp member movable toward and away from said stationary memberbetween clamping and open positions; means carried by the base andmovably supporting said clamping member thereon, said supporting meansbeing cngageable by said rack gear for moving said clamp mem ber to andpositively holding it in open position upon movement of said rack gearin one direction; said pin and slot connection between said rack gearand said base permitting said rack gear to move into such engagementwith said supporting means before said rack gear moves said base; andmeans biasing said movable clamping member toward clamping position;said pin and slot connection between said rack gear and said basepermitting said rack gear to move out of engagement with said supportingmeans before said rack gear moves said base in an opposite direction,whereby said biasing means bisases said movable clamp member towardclamping position before said rack gear moves said base in said oppositedirection.

8. A pulling mechanism of the character set forth in claim 7 whereinbrake means is mounted on said fixed structure in a position to engagethe strip being pulled in advance of engagement of said strip by saidclamping means, said brake means holding said strip against movement ineither direction longitudinally while the movable clamping member is inopen position.

9. in a printing rule strip forming machine, a pulling mecl.anism forpulling rule strips from a die including: a fixed structure; a basemounted on said fixed structure for rcciprocable movement in one planetoward and away from said die; a movable member mounted on said base forlimited reciprocable movement relative to said base in said one planeand toward and away from said die; a pin and slot conn ction betweensaid movabie member and said base providing said limited reciprocablemovement therebetween and providing for a positive rigid operatingconnection by which said movable member moves said base; clamping meansmounted on said base and comprising a stationary member and a clampmember movable perp ndicularly with respect to said one plane betweenopen and clamping positions with respect to said stationary member;means connected to said movable member to move said movable member andsaid base reciprocably in said plane, said pin and slot connectionproviding means whereby said base is movable only upon cessation ofmovement of said movable member relative to said base; means :arryingmovable clamr member engageable by said movable member for moving saidclamp member to and positively holding it in open position upon movementof said movable member relative to said base and toward said die; meansbiasing said r 1 W l."

clamp member toward closed position, said clamp member moving to closedposition upon movement of said movable member relative to said base andaway from said die; said clamping means seizing said rule strip whensaid clamping member is moved to clamping position; brake means mountedon said fixed structure between said clamping means and said die and inalignment therewith for positively holding the rule strip in a planeparallel to said one plane against longitudinal movement in eitherdirection while the movable clamping member is in open position, asupporting member mounted on said fixed structure between said brakemeans and said die and disposed vertical to said one plane and co-actingwith each brake means by engaging one lateral edge of said rule stripformed by said die for holding the rule strip against movement laterallyin one direction in said plane parallel to said one plane, and a formingmeans removably secured to said rigid structure between said brake meansand said die and disposed in a plane perpendicular to said one plane andpositioned to engage the opposite printing face edge of said rule stripopposite the edge engaged by said supporting member for holding thestrip against lateral movement in said plane parallel to said one planeand for forming and modifying the printing face of said rule strip assaid rule strip is pulled past said forming means by said pullingmechanism, said pulling means and said supporting means thus co-actingwith said brake means to hold said strip against displacement laterally,vertically or longitudinally while said pulling means is moved frompulling position to a new gripping engagement with said rule strip.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS998,377 Munthe et al. July 18, 1911 1,826,498 Bignell Oct. 6, 19312,514,554 Nowelsky July 11, 1950 2,663,566 Grimm Dec. 22, 1953 2,698,081Rice Dec. 28, 1954 2,730,916 Gavurin Ian. 17, 1956 FOREIGN PATENTS178,649 Great Britain Apr. 27, 1922

